In his heated exchange with Ron Paul at the Republican debate in Iowa, Rick Santorum defended his sponsorship of sanctions against Iran as well as general U.S. belligerence toward that country.

This devoutly anti-freedom politician made a number of claims against Iran that are very misleading or just flat out wrong. Ron had only 30 seconds to respond, and did a great job, but there is more to say.

First, Santorum says Iran has been at war with the United States since 1979. Ron points out that the bad blood between Americans and Iranians began in 1953, when a CIA coup installed the Shah. Indeed, we should remember that before 1953, the Iranians tended to look very warmly upon the Americans, who, unlike the British, had left the Iranians alone. Their democratically elected leader Mohammad Mosaddegh, partly for his popularity due to his resistance to British corporate imperialism, was even Time Magazine‘s Man of the Year in 1951.

Not only did the U.S. install the Shah two years later; the CIA taught his secret police force, Savak, how to torture. Savak went on to imprison and torture tens of thousands of political prisoners, adopting such practices of nearly unfathomable brutality as using broken glass and boiling water on subjects’ rectums, mutilating women’s breasts, and cooking victims alive.

After years of being ruled by this U.S.-backed regime, the Iranians overthrew the Shah and the Islamic Revolution of 1979 swept the nation. But, despite what the propagandists say, Iranians still did not hate Americans for our freedom — only for our government’s foreign policy. All the attempts to get Iranians angry at Americans for our culture or modernity failed, Michael Scheuer, former CIA counterterrorism expert, points out.

In the 1980s, the Reagan administration illegally, in direct defiance of Congress, sold weapons to the same Iranian extremists that we are now supposed to think have always been America’s #1 enemy. Meanwhile, the same U.S. administration supported Saddam Hussein’s aggressive invasion of Iran. Iran has never conducted an outright invasion of another nation in over 200 years. It is a much more peaceful nation internationally than the United States. Its one major war in recent years was defensive, against an America-backed invasion by a regime whose atrocities in that very war were later used as partial justification for America’s aggressive invasion of Iraq in 2003.

And that war, the one with Iraq that has gone on for over eight years, greatly empowered the theocratic Iranian state as has nothing else in recent memory. The Iranians were given a huge boost in influence over the new Shiite government in Baghdad, put in place by this supposed American war for democracy. Brutal shariah law resembling that of Iran became imposed. Then, despite the freedom dominoes that were supposed to fall thanks to the Iraq war, Ahmadinejad won the presidency in 2005. Nothing has advanced the interests of the Iranian extremists more than the United States of America. Even so, Ahmadinejad has since been demonized, his bizarre rants taken out of context, and implied to have far more power over Iranian military policy than he actually does.

Second, Santorum claims that Iran has killed more Americans in Iraq and Afghanistan than have the people of those countries. This accusation of significant Iranian guilt behind the insurgent resistance to the U.S. presence has been a constant theme of U.S. propaganda throughout the occupation of Iraq, but has never been demonstrated convincingly. It is even more difficult to believe now. As Jason Ditz explains, the allegations “don’t appear to make a lot of sense at this point, with the Iraqi coalition government firmly in the control of Shi’ite religious factions and the nation on good terms with Iran. There seems little to gain from destablizing the situation.”

Meanwhile, the U.S. has been meddling in Iran, likely including the support of some unsavory terrorists and suicide bombers intent on destabilizing the nation.

Third, Santorum argues that Iran is an existential threat to Israel. This is simply laughable. Iran has no nuclear weapons, as far as anyone can tell, and according to the International Atomic Energy Agency as well as the U.S. intelligence community, Iran hasn’t been seeking such weapons for at least eight years.

Ron Paul is correct that American belligerence toward Iran is a major concern as it could easily be a precursor to war. He is also correct, and bold to say it, when he argues that these conservatives supporting sanctions against countries like Iran (or Cuba) are fake free-traders. In fact, the very worst trade restrictions are those waged in a militarist manner or with coercive diplomacy as the goal. U.S. sanctions on Iraq in the 1990s killed hundreds of thousands, an atrocity that contributed to the hatred that led to 9/11. Blockades greatly exacerbated civilian deaths in World War I and helped bring about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. If goods don’t cross borders, warned Bastiat, soldiers will. Those playing with sanctions are playing with fire.

The mainstream Republicans’ belligerence toward Iran should frighten anyone who is hoping for some electoral reprieve from the Obama administration but remembers the horrors of the Bush years, and what was promised by prospective future Republican presidents. John McCain infamously sang “Bomb, bomb, bomb; bomb, bomb Iran,” in the rhythm of the classic Beach Boys tune, forever marking himself as someone who simply couldn’t be trusted with the nuclear launch codes. If there was one reason for any reasonable American — including conservatives — to prefer Obama in 2008, despite his promises for domestic socialism and his own weaknesses on foreign policy, it was the neocons’ obsessive hatred toward Iran that persisted and grew more feverish by the day during the Bush years. Many of them sought to destroy that country, and they seem to still want to do so. Obama has been, as Ron Paul indicates, far too belligerent, such as in his saber rattling at Iran after the non-event concerning the peaceful nuclear facility at Qom, which Iran declared according to its responsibilities under international law, despite the president’s claims that the nation was caught red-handed doing something illicit.

Santorum just couldn't be more wrong, because it is clearly Israel that is the existential threat to Iran. Israeli and US politicians get away with openly discussing and proposing an attack on Iran, and not vice-versa. Threatening another sovereign nation with aggression is incidentally a crime in international law, but Israel and the US act with impunity.
Meanwhile, Santorum and his ilk are supporting Israel the way a rope supports a hanged man.

A war with Iran will bring ONE good thing. How can the Pentagon then justify the missiles in Bulgaria, Romania and Poland ? A nuclear missile threat from North Korea ? According to missile engineer Bob Aldridge -www.plrc.org-the US Navy can track and destroy all enemy submarines simultaneously. The missiles in the 3 countries are to take out the missiles surviving First Strike with Minuteman-3 and Trident-2. This leads to Launch On Warning by 2014. Bloody fools in the Pentagon. A republic of insects and grass,

Good Article. One thing I thought to mention is that Reagan didn't just up and one day decide, "Ya know, I think I'll sell the implements of war to Khomeini and Saddam … like two scorpions in a bottle, mwahaha".

I doubt Reagan was bright enough to be that cynical and Machiavellian, on his own at any rate. No, I think people like Robert Gates, HW Bush, and the Israelis had a lot to do with setting these agreements up. Don't forget this was the "Charlie Wilson's War" era of thinking up in Wash-Tin.

Also thought to mention the role funding and shepherding the Iran-Iraq wars played in cementing the power of the regimes in those two countries. Despite their obvious shortcomings, Iranians still rallied behind the theocratic regime to defend the nation just as we rallied around FDR when Japan decided they would play his game. Those who didn't support their respective nations were brutally suppressed. For the Iranians, it was a huge case of same shit, different asshole. That became the Iraqi people's problem as well, come 2003.

Ron Paul, is unique in being one of a small number in Washington, and the only presidential candidate, that has not been bought and paid for by AIPAC..There is simply no other candidate on the side of the American people..

watching an intellectual midget like santorum be destroyed by ron paul was classic. anyone with an iq above 60 could see santorum's arguments had no merit whatsoever. that said i think the average rino is at 55iq so i'm not overly optimisitc.

Santorum is a disgrace to Pennsylvania, once the most tolerant of the original 13 colonies, founded by Quaker William Penn as a beacon of religious freedom and tolerance. He is as ignorant as he is intolerant, a demagogue much in the mould of Hitler, Goebbels, David Duke, George Lincoln Rockwell, and Joseph McCarthy. He deserves a national forum as much as his fellow travelers, Palin, Bachmann, O'Donnell, Limbaugh, Beck and the rest of the phony religious fascists.

Think for a minute about what Rick Santorum said on stage during that debate. This greasy, treasonous rat turd stood up there and stated that it was the responsibility of the US Military and the beleaguered American taxpayers to fund and go to war against Iran in order to 'defend' Israel, the nation that actually engineered the false flag attacks on America on September 11, 2001.

Get busy and watch the documentary by Mike Delaney titled "9-11 Missing Links". Once you've seen that video, I promise you that the next time you see Rick Santorum on stage or on TV, in your mind you are going to visualize a rope around his treasonous neck and him standing on the gallows, waiting for the trap door to be opened – which will send his treasonous corpse to Hell, where he will be reunited with his Father.

There's never enough war for American politicians. There's always more room for war. War speeches always bring cheering and applause, like in the movies bang-bang, boom-boom always thrills the viewers and excites their pride in 'our heroes'. Ron Reagan never went to war even though he was able and young when WWII hit but he is seen as a great heroic figure because he spouted all kinds of war boasting. A soldier's work is to kill. A politician's is to brag and strut.

This is why Ron Paul needed to run for president. I hope he don't get elected because whoever gets elected will preside over a train wreck but he just Giuliani'd Santorum and exposed the whole idea of attacking Iran in front of a bigger national tv audience than anyone in the antiwar movement could ever get. No wonder the estabilshment democrat/republicans and teh MIC are so afraid and need to constantly try to marginalize him. he pwned Sanctimoniuous clueless Santorum and held up the idea of "evil threatening you should hide under your beds and let the governnment take care of it" Iran to ridicule.

Rick is correct when he states Iran is a direct threat to Israel. Israel has not had very good results when they attack an armed enemy and Israel wants the water of that lavita river but several land attacked in Lebanon has resulted in a large number of IDF deaths. Israel also desires the natural gas off the coast of Lebanon and without the ability to do more than bomb the homes of woman and children the ability to force Lebanon to agree on giving up their natural resources is limited. Israel cannot create the old empire with armed people blocking their advances. Israel finds it cheaper to bribe professional politician like Rick who will vote for anything as long as money goes into his campaign accounts. The good news is I suspect after today straw vote Rick will disappear from the public and I hope never to show up again. I hope he retires to Israel were he can live in a country that he really loves.

With sophomoric hacks like Santorum and Bachman gunning for Iran, Iran is completely justified in pursuing nuclear weapons. Not that there's any credible evidence thay are doing so. Everybody knows that if Iran nukes Israel, Israel will wipe Tehran off the map, and for real. So a nuclear armed Iraq is certainly no threat to Israel. Oy!

CNN's Situation Room ran a blatant distortion of the Paul-Santorum exchange on Iran. They played Santorum's claim that "The U.S. has been at war with Iran since 1979." They then played Paul's rejoinder that Santorum "doesn't know his history. We've been at war with Iran for a lot longer than 1979." But they cut out Paul's key continuation, "We've been at war with Iran since 1953 when we sent in a coup to overthrow their government and install the Shah of Iran."

Last night I posted a comment in the "Soundoff" section of Wolf Blitizer's blog. I noted it as an example of the corporate media's willingness to cover up U.S. malfeasance in the Third World. As of midday today, my comment was not showing up on the blog. I have posted it again and will be interested to see whether CNN is willing to report criticism of its reporting.

Here's dumb Goliath shooting himself in the foot for David, again, because David has his fingers up Goliath's bum in the first place!
The US Should act in its own best interests and normalize relations with Iran. Get over what happened in 1979 and apologize for 1953 already. Show some humility and respect and support Iran in its efforts to eradicate combat drug trade and stop MEK attacks. Both have so much to gain from cooperating on trade and regional security, this behavior caused a foolishly missed opportunity.
US will do so many stupid things and act against itself, for all the wrong reasons; it is a sick, and spoiled child, and with whiny snot-nosed jewish punk Israel working in tandem, its proving to be a fruitless and counterproductive effort.
If US was smart, long term No. 1 partner for the future in the region would be Iran definitely. NOT ISRAEL

Of course, the US needs to treat Iran and Israel on an equal basis and as foreign countries, which they are. The logic part is easy; a clear case can be presented. The hard part is talking to people who under the influence of "magic thinking" – religious mumbo-jumbo that states that the dominance of the mostly atheistic Israelis over the whole Middle East is a necessary pre-condition for the return of Jesus. This Evangelical nonsense does more for the sociopaths like Netanyahou than all of the bribing and threatening of our Congress by AIPAC.
And – gross alert – Dan Savage (the sex columnist) has coined a new word – "santorum" as being the word to define the frothy mixture of K-Y jelly and anal fluids that gets generated during gay male sex.